thread: at what age do you let your child out the back unsupervised?

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  1. #1
    BellyBelly Member

    Jun 2005
    Sydney
    2,121

    I let mine outside (not so much lately....due to the rain....)...but i always am at the back of the house pottering around. Its not like i would go to the front of the hosue and vacumn the car or something whilst they are out the back...

    In summer i tend to go out there when they are out there. We live on the back of a reserve and my fear is a brown snake or spider will slither/crawl up beside them....

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Jul 2005
    Rural NSW
    6,975

    Depends on the child and the yard.

    Because my recently turned 3yo has an older brother (5yo) who I can trust to keep an eye on him and let me know if anything goes wrong I let them play out the back all the time... loosely supervised. However I also find it easy enough to let this happen because we have floor to ceiling windows all along the back part of the house making visibilty really good. Even sitting here at my 'pute I can see them. If I didn't have these windows I would be a bit more nervous about unsupervised play.

  3. #3

    Mar 2004
    Sparta
    12,662

    I've been letting mine out for ages. They're pretty noisy so I can always hear what they're up to. Mainly Yasin just rides his bike up and down the path and Imran chases him. I used to feel like I had to always be watching them but then I decided I didn't want to be a helicopter parent so now I just let them be.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    Newcastle, NSW
    4,219

    My youngest DS (2) goes outside on his own all the time. Our yard is a very small courtyard and is fully fenced and escape proof so I have no worries with him being out there alone. I am usually downstairs in the kitchen, laundry or lounge room anyway which is all close to the back yard.

  5. #5
    BellyBelly Member

    Dec 2005
    3,130

    hmmm, well i wouldnt be able to see or hear her at all due to the set up of house and yard. so that is a bit of a worry. there isnt really anything out there that is dangerous though, we will be getting a swing and slide for her bday in a month. i will have to think about it some more, i am such a nervous nelly!

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    In my own private paradise
    15,272

    we let my bro's 8, 6 and 4 year olds outside here to play without adult supervision - provided there is two of them together. we have no fences at the front and back so we tend to limit where they can go - thankfully they're good kids and don't go past the shed unless there are adults with them. we only loosely supervise if we're outside with them to make sure they don't go past the back fence, don't torment the cattle dog (he has to be tied up when he's home cos of no fences unless DH is out there with him - won't come back for me!) or get tangled in his chain. we have a double block though with heaps of space and lots of stuff for them to get into - so it's not something i think i'll be comfortable with until E is much older. i don't hover, i just go about doing my own thing and make sure i can hear what is going on. to do that from inside i'd have to be in my bedroom with the ensuite window open, and if someone got hurt, have to go to the other end of the house then right down the backyard to help them out so it's just more practical to be outside with them...

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    Adelaide
    1,741

    I was thinking about this the other day too. I sometimes let dd1 outside on her own if I am in the kitchen or on the lounge where I can see her most of the time, I also leave a window open so i can hear her (if its quiet she is normally up to mischief).

    Yesterday it was quiet and I called out to her asking what she was doing she yelled back to me 'a poo'. She had done a poo in the dogs dinner bowl .

    We have 2 dogs and if dd is outside on her own I put the dogs away. I trust my dogs but Im not sure I can trust my dd not to poke them with a stick or pull their tails and its just not worth the risk IMO. I also move the dogs water bowls round the side where the dogs are as my friends nephew almost drowned in their dogs water bowl and he needed to be rescusitated.